בּוּשָׁה וְעַזּוּת

Through this we can discern whether a person has fear of Heaven [yir'as shamayim] — namely, through bushah [shame / awe-inspired shame], after the rectification of a sin. When we gaze upon his face and awe and shame fall upon us as well — meaning that through him we are also drawn into an awareness of the greatness of the Creator, blessed be He.

When Hashem Yisborach wishes to taste [lit'om] the mitzvos and good deeds of Israel — they are at that moment in the dimension of eiver min hachai [a limb severed from a living animal], which is forbidden to eat. Therefore bushah must come upon him — which is the dimension of the shedding of blood [shfichus damim], the dimension of shechitah [ritual slaughter], which renders it permitted for eating. [Translator's note: The analogy is precise: just as an animal cannot be consumed until it is slaughtered — i.e., until its blood is shed — so too the mitzvos of Israel cannot be "received on high" until the Jew sheds the blood of shame. Bushah is thus not merely an emotion but a spiritually transformative act equivalent in its effect to ritual slaughter.] And then there is a need for protection that the chitzonim [the external / demonic forces] should not suckle from the shed blood — and therefore the Shechinah [the Divine Presence] lovingly covers the blood of Israel that was shed, and this is the dimension of kisuy dam [the covering of the blood — a Torah commandment requiring one to cover the blood after slaughtering a bird or undomesticated animal, Leviticus 17:13]. Furthermore, through this bushah and the shedding of blood described above, one can merit forgiveness of sins [mechilat avonos] to the point that they are transformed into merits [zechuyos]. And there is also thereby at times a great elevation [aliyah gedolah] for very many fallen souls.

One must be exceedingly ashamed before Hashem Yisborach — to the point of actually feeling the shame on one's face, so that one's face changes through many colors in the manner of those who are truly ashamed, without any pretense or artifice [b'li shum shinuy — literally: without any alteration, i.e., the shame must be completely genuine and unfeigned]. [Translator's note: No source citation appears in this edition for this teaching.]